To Live, to Die, to Live Again

Renowned French director Gaël Morel’s new beautiful and moving film had its World Premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
Victor Belmondo (“Lie with Me”) and Théo Christine (“My Best Part”) star in a moving and surprising drama that brings a complicated love triangle to the big screen.
Emma loves Sammy, who also loves Cyril, who loves him back. What starts as a non-conventional threesome in the early 90’s, takes a turn with the rise of the AIDS pandemic and with it an unexpected twist that will change the lives of all three, and will lead them to face a new world full of challenges and fears.
The film also features gay icon Amanda Lear.

Gaël Morel was TLVFest’s guest in 2012 with his film “Our Paradise”.


In association with the Embassy of France

Block Pass

A breathtaking drama that was shown during the Critics Week at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Queer Palm award.
Director Antoine Chevrollier’s first full length feature explores masculinity and sexuality in rural France, and particularly in Longué-Jumelles, the director’s home town, where the film was shot.
Willy and Jojo are best friends, sharing a joint passion for motorcycles. Jojo is a motorcycle racing driver on the way to become famous in the scene and Willy is there to help him live his dream.
When a secret from Jojo’s past is revealed, his fast track to fame crumbles. The two friends embark on a self discovery journey neither of them wanted.
Young stars of the film, Amaury Foucher and Sayyid El Alami, present impressive, authentic and brave performances.

Contains depictions of homophobia and self harm.


In association with the Embassy of France

The Substance

“Have you ever dreamt of a better version of you? You, only better in every way possible. Seriously, you have to try this product. It’s called ‘The Substance’. It changed my life! It creates a different “you”, newer, younger, prettier, more perfect. There’s only one rule – you share time. One week for you, one week for her. Perfect balance, easy, right? If you respect the balance, what could possibly go wrong?”

The Substance” which had taken this year’s Cannes Film Festival by storm and got 11 minutes of standing ovations, gives one of Hollywood’s beloved veterans Demi Moore (“Indecent Proposal”, “Ghost”, “A Few Good Men”) one of her best roles, with high chances of getting an Oscar nomination. The film won its director Coralie Fargeat the script award at the Cannes Film Festival and helped cement her status as a groundbreaking filmmaker. Get ready for an unbelievable, wild and funny film you will not stop talking about.


In association with the Embassy of France

Emilia Pérez

The new and much talked about musical crime drama by director Jacques Audiard (“Rust and Bone”, “A Prophet” “The Beat That My Heart Skipped”) which premiered at the last Cannes Film Festival to standing ovations. This film earned its amazing cast a joint award and the Judges Choice main award. This is the film that introduced to the world one of the best cinematic newcomers of recent years – transgender actress Karla Sofía Gascón, who takes over the screen and the viewers hearts with an unforgettable performance.

Zoe Saldaña (“Avatar”, “Guardians of the Galaxy”) is Rita, a frustrated lawyer who works for a big and corrupt company. One day she gets a chance to change her life – a one-on-one meeting with the head of one of the cruelest cartels in Mexico. To her immense surprise the man asks her to help him realize his dream – to undergo a gender affirming procedure and start a new life as a woman under the name of Emilia Pérez.
Other cast members include one of todays’ biggest stars as the cartel head’s wife, Selena Gomez (“Only Murders in the Building”) and the Israeli actor Mark Ivanir.
This is a film that you will not forget.


In association with the Embassy of France

Bar 51

Amos Guttman’s second feature film tells the story of a brother and sister from the country, who decide to find their luck in the big city Tel Aviv after the death of their mother. They meet Apollonia, the owner of a sleazy joint called “Bar 51”, who employs them at the bar, mostly because of her strong attraction to the brother, who in turn, is secretly in love with his own sister.
Apollonia is played by Ada Valerie Tal, the first Israeli transgender actress, and her character is based on Gila Goldstein, who used to perform at the real “Bar 51”.
“Bar 51” is a stylish creation that reminds of the early works of Fassbinder and Almodóvar.

Contains depictions of violence, including sexual assault and self harm.


This movie is part of Amos Guttman Retrospective

“Drifting (Nagu’a)” & show by Aviv Shriki

Before the screening: short musical performance by Aviv Shriki – songs inspired by Amos Guttman’s work.

Amos Guttman’s debut film is a groundbreaking cinematic piece and considered to be the first Israeli feature film that deals directly and seriously with the subject of gay men in Israel.
Robi lives with his grandmother and works in her grocery shop. Robi has two obsessions – men and movies. All his sexual encounters are channeled towards fulfilling his dream – becoming a film director.


This movie is part of Amos Guttman Retrospective


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Tropicana

After the screening: conversation with the creators.

Special Tel-Aviv Premiere

Omer Tobi, the talented director behind the music videos for gay party line “Arisa’’ and the creator of the musical TV series “HaYoresht” (“The Heiress”), in a surprising, daring and unusual debut film,

Orly Belaish, a lonely middle-aged woman, splits her time between her monotonous job at a supermarket and caregiving for her ailing mother and family members. The mysterious murder of the head cashier at the supermarket leads to Orly’s promotion, and her status in the supermarket rises. Along with this new role, Orly also inherits the deceased cashier’s dark past – a past that will take her on a journey into the depths of her repressed desires, revealing her deep longing for warmth and human connection.

Tropicana” is a meeting in a forgotten small town in the south of Israel between Ulrich Sidle, David Lynch, the Dardenne brothers and Keren Yedaya. The result is one huge mindfuck.

“The Binding” – Closing Film

World Premiere!

Life partners Eyal Kantor and Yoav Keren are without a doubt the most prolific queer independent filmmakers in Israel at the moment. TLVfest’s closing film is their newest feature – “The Binding”. Be prepared for one of the most daring gay films ever made in Israel.

Benjamin’s life is about to change when Avinoam (Shimon Mimran), his religious boss, comes to his aid. Under Avinoam’s wing Binjamin finds a safe place until an unexpected event will force the two to spend a Shabbos together and will bring to the surface dark secrets from their past.
The Binding” is a gay suspense drama that deals with some very relevant issues, such as conversion therapy and religious oppression.

Viewing is 18+ due to explicit sexual content and violence.

Marzipan Flowers

A special screening in memory of Rotem Kalderon, mother of Adam Kalderon
All the proceeds from the screening will go to the rebuilding of kibbutz Be’eri

Before the screening: Opening words
After the screening: conversation with Mika Kalderon, actresses: Nouli Omer, Tal Kalay and Efrat Aviv, and the producer Ori Hod.

Adam Kalderon, a native of kibbutz Be’eri, filmed there his debut feature “Marzipan Flowers” during the military operation “Amud Anan” (2012). The script was inspired by events from his mother’s life, who also assisted with the production. A decade had passed since the release of this special and different film. Kalderon’s 2nd feature “The Swimmer” screened at TLVfest 2022.

Hadas is working at the kibbutz laundry, when she’s informed that her husband Moshe was killed in a traffic accident. In one second Hadas’ entire world crashes down. After a hard year of mourning, the kibbutz is getting too stifling for Hadas and she realizes she can’t move on with her life. She decides to leave the kibbutz, where she lived her whole life, in favor of a new life in Tel Aviv. Penniless and provincial, she shares an apartment with Petel, a vibrant trans woman, and works as a waitress. The journey to the big city makes Hadas confront the fact that her youth is gone, but also with the dreams she never fulfilled, and she decides to realize those desires: she opens up her own place and experiences a late marzipan blossoming.